Photoshop: HA affiliate David Lunde

A little in-fighting over Rep. “Frozen Dollar Bill” Jefferson:

With members of the Congressional Black Caucus crying double standard, House Democrats met behind closed doors Thursday and voted to strip Rep. William Jefferson of his seat on the Ways and Means Committee.

The move was led by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, who has already asked Jefferson to step down voluntarily, a request her embattled counterpart rebuffed.

Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina said the vote on Jefferson was 2-1, but he would not divulge the exact tally of the secret ballot.

Ways and Means is a powerful committee that oversees tax legislation. Now that the caucus has approved Jefferson’s suspension from the committee, the matter will head to the full House for a vote.

Jefferson, 59, a Louisiana Democrat facing a corruption investigation, attended Thursday’s caucus meeting, where he addressed his colleagues and left.

He told reporters as he left that he asked the caucus members “to put themselves in my shoes” and contemplate whether the punishment was fair, necessary or wise.

“It is not right for the people I represent,” he said. “It would deprive my folks of a chance to have their voices continue to be heard and their problems continue to be addressed.”

Asked if he thought race was a factor in Pelosi’s decision, he replied, “It’s not happened before. The first time it’s happening, it’s happening to an African-American.”

Jefferson said the caucus gave him a standing ovation after his remarks.

The legislator returned to the meeting later, stayed briefly and left without addressing the media.

The assertion that race is a factor has already been floated by members of the Congressional Black Caucus, who question why Rep. Alan Mollohan of West Virginia, a white Democrat who also is under investigation, was allowed to keep his seat on the equally powerful Appropriations Committee.

Mollohan, whose personal finances are being investigated after a complaint filed by a conservative group, stepped down voluntarily from his post on the Ethics Committee, pending resolution of the probe.

Rep. Mel Watt, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, warned last week that singling out Jefferson would not be received well by black voters.

“If the only person you have applied it to is a black member of Congress, then our community will legitimately ask, ‘What in the world are you all doing?’ ” Watt said.

Don’t worry. They’ll all find a way to blame Bush somehow.

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